Bottle vendor having a plurality of gate means provided with a gate lock-out assembly



Oct. 4, 1966 J M. FOXX ETAL 3,276,623

BOTTLE VENDOR HAVING; A PLURALITY OF GATE MEANS PROVIDED WITH A GATE LOCK-OUT ASSEMBLY Filed April 9, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m FIG. 1.

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United States Patent 3,276,623 BOTTLE VENDOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF GATE MEANS PROVIDED WITH A GATE LOCK-OUT ASSEMBLY John M. Foxx, 3711 Southeast Trafficway, Kansas City, Mo., and Frank J. Thomas, 7030 Glenwood, Overland Park, Kans.

Filed Apr. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 446,951 4 Claims. (Cl. 221-425) This invention relates to a bottle vendor of the vertical stack type, and more particularly to the dispensing mechanism therefor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bottle vendor of the vertical stack type including a bottle-dispensing mechanism which is operable in response to actuation of one of the bottle-blocking gates to permit dispensing of the bottle adjacent the actuated gate, and to lock the other gates against actuation and prevent dispensing of the related bottles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle vendor of the vertical stack type including a bottle-dispensing mechanism which is operable in response to actuation of one of the bottle-blocking gates to permit dispensing of the bottle adjacent the actuated gate, to lock the other gates located above the actuated gate against actuation, and to releasably lock all the gates except the actuated gate. i

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bottle vendor of the vertical stack type including a bottle-dispensing mechanism which is positive in action, highly efiicient in operation, and commercially feasible.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the bottle-dispensing mechanism according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, showing a bottle in position to be dispensed.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the bottle partly withdrawn or in the process of being dispensed.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2. i

FIGURE 6 is a front view of one ofthe segmental plates of the column of such plates.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the segmental plate of FIGURE 6.

, FIGURE 8 is a front view of the coin-operable latching mechanism with a dog in engaged position.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 8, but showing the dog in disengaged position.

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 1111 of FIGURE 10.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally an article storage cabinet'which has a front wall 12, the wall being provided with a vertical row of articledispensing holes 14. Disposed behind the front wall 12 and in cooperative relation with respect to the row of holes 14 is a vertical series of supports 16. Each of the supports 16 is adapted to support an article such as a beverage-containing bottle 18 in lay-down position with the cap-closed neck facing toward and inwardly of the adjacent hole in the front wall of the cabinet.

Each support 16 is provided with a swingable gate 20, the gate being normally disposed to 'block removal of the 3,276,623- Patented Oct. 4, 1966 ice , 21 adjacent said one end is a first arm 25 which is fixedly secured to the bar 21. Pivotally connected, as at 26, to the arm 25, is one end of a bottle stop member 27, the member 27 extending longitudinally along the adjacent support 16 and having the opposite end pivoted, as at 28,

to a pair of parallel links 29 which are pivotally connected, as at 30, to the rear wall 31 of the cabinet 10. When the gate 20 is in the normal position of blocking removal of the bottle 18, disposed thereon, the stop mem ber 27 is midway between the bottle 18 supported on the support 16 and shown in full lines in FIGURE 2, and the bottle, shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2, and disposed at the lower or discharge end of a ramp 32 supporting a plurality of bottles arranged in side-by-side abutting rela tion.

A dispensing mechanism is operatively connected to all of the gates 20, and is operable in response to actuation of one of the gates to permit dispensing of the bottle adjacent the actuated gate and to lock the other gates against actuation and prevent dispensing of the related bottles. More specifically stated, the dispensing mechanism is operable in response to actuation of one of the gates to permit dispensing of the bottle adjacent the actuated gate, and to lock the other gates located above the actuated gate against actuation, and also releasably lock all of the gates except the actuated gate. The dispensing mechanism comprises an upstanding channel member 35 which is disposed so as to face toward a side of the cabinet 10 and is secured to the front wall 12 of the cabinet 10, the channel member being provided with arcuate slots 36 spaced therealong. Positioned within the member 35 and parallel to the base of the member 35 is a column of separable elements or segmental plates 37 which are arranged in vertical superimposed relation and mounted in opposed trackways 38 carried by the member 35 for sliding movement. An elongated vertical member 40 is disposed in parallel spaced relation with respect to the said column of plates 37 and is also mounted in the opposed trackways 38 for sliding movement. The member 40 is provided with a row of camming slots 39 arranged in vertical spaced relation therealong.

A second arm 41 projects transversely from the bar 21, and this arm 41 carries a first means or a stub shaft 42 which operatively connects each of the adjacent separable element or segmental plates 37 to an adjacent gate 20. Specifically, the stub shaft 42, FIGURE 2, carries a roller 43 intermediate its ends which rides in a camming slot 44 formed between adjacent elements or segmental plates 37, the stub shaft 42 being operable in response to actuation of one of the gates 20 to permit dispensing of the bottle adjacent the actuated gate and to lock the other gates located above the actuated gate against actuation.

A second means connects each of the gates 20 to the elongated vertical member 40 and is operable to lock the latching mechanism 56. Specifically, the second means embodies the free end portion of the stub shaft 42 which is slidably movable in the adjacent camming slot 39 formed in the member 40.

The first means also includes a shaft 45 which is carried by and extends the full length of the bar 21 of each gate 20, and has end portions 45' and 45" projecting from the bar. The end portion 45' of the shaft 45 is pivotallysupported in the hanger 23, FIGURE 2, and the end portion 45 of the shaft 45 is pivotally-mounted in the channel member 35, as at 47, and extending through and being slidable in a vertical slot 46 formed in an adjacent element or segmental plate 37 of the column of plates.

Spring means 50 is operatively connected to each gate 20 and an adjacent arcuate slot 36 of the channel member 35 for returning the gate 20 to its normal position. Specifically, the spring means comprises a spring wire 51 which has one end supported on the arcuate slot 36 and has the other end hooked around the stub shaft 42, with the intermediate portion wrapped around the end portion 45 of the shaft 45. The purpose of each of the shafts 45 which is carried by the bar 21 of each gate 20 is to pivotally-connect the gate 20 to the hanger 23 and the channel member 35, the end portion 45" of the shaft 45 having the intermediate portion of the spring Wire 51 hooked therearound.

It is to be noted that the column of separable elements or segmental plates 37 does not extend the full length of the channel member 35 and the vertical member 40, but terminates at a point spaced from the complemental lower ends of the channel member 35 and the vertical member 49 to thereby form a space whose purpose will become subsequently apparent. As shown in FIGURE 1, the channel member 35 is provided with a stop pin 55 which is engaged by the lowermost separable element or segmental plate 37 to hold it in position in the column.

Mounted on the channel member 35, FIGURES 1, 8, 9, and 11, adjacent the lower end is a latching device 56 which is actuable by a coin-operable solenoid 57. The solenoid 57 is operatively connected to a coin-operable switch, not shown. The latching mechanism 56 comprises a stub shaft 58 which is carried by the channel member 35, and on this shaft 58 is rockably mounted a lever 59. The lever 59 has a portion adjacent one end bent inwardly so as to extend normal therefrom, the normal portion extending slidably through an arcuate slot 60 formed in the part of the channel member 35 within the space in the lower portion 01f the column of the separable elements or segmental plates 37. To this normal portion is operatively connected the'reciprocating plunger 61 of the solenoid 57. The free end of the other end portion of the lever 59 is shaped to a dog 62 which is releasably and selectively engageable with a tooth of a saw-toothed type ratchet 63 carried by the vertical member 40. A bell crank lever 64 is disposed adjacent the lever 59 and is supported intermediate its ends upon the channel member 35 for rocking movement about a horizontal axis or pin 65, the long arm 66 of the bell crank lever 64 extending slideably through an elongated slot 67 formed in the part of the lever 59 adjacent the shaft 58. The free end of the long arm 66 of the bell crank lever 64 overlies a tripping pin 68 also carried by the Vertical member 40. To the short arm 70 of the bell crank lever 64 and the part of the lever 59 between the slots 60 and the stub shaft 58 is connected a coil spring 71, the spring serving to bias the lever 59 to the position in which the dog 62 is out of engagement with the tooth in the ratchet 63.

In operation, with a bottle 18 in a position for being dispensed with the swingable gate in engagement with the neck of the bottle adjacent the cap 7 5, a coin is dropped in a provided slot in the calbinet, not shown, and closes a switch also provided on the cabinet, not shown, resulting in the actuation of the solenoid 57, causing the plunger 61 to be drawn within the solenoid 57, the lever 59 to rock about the stub shaft 58, disengaging the dog 62 from ratchet '63, as shown in FIGURE 10*. This releases the vertical plate 40, and permits selective dispensing of any one of the bottles 18 in the roller support 16, through the respective holes 14.

The operator inser-ts his hand through a selected hole 40 and grasps the neck of the bottle 18, and withdraws same outwardly from the hole 14, resulting in the swingable gate 20 riding along the neck and upwardly over the shoulder of the bottle 18, causing the bottle stop member 27 to shift from the position shown in FIGURE 3, to the position shown in FIGURE 4, or the position between the bottle on the support and the lowermost bottle on the ramp 32. Simultaneously, the second arm 41 on the gate 20 moves the stub shaft 42 about the adjacent arcuate slot 36, through the adjacent camming slot 44-, and through the adjacent camming slot 39, resulting in releasably locking of the swingable gates 20 of the support 16 above and below the selected actuated gate and lock all of the gates 20 except the actuated gate and permitting the operator to withdraw the bottle on the support of the actuated gate from the cabinet.

After the bottle has been fully withdrawn from the cabinet with the bottle free of contact with the swingable gate 20, the spring means 50 returns the gate 20 to its normal position or the position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, allowing the lowermost bottle on the ramp 32 to roll into position upon the vacated support 16, and permitting the dog 62 to shift to engagement with the tooth of the ratchet 63, locking the unit.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vending machine, an article storage cabinet having a front provided with a vertical row of article-dispensing holes, a vertical series of supports disposed behind said ;front wall in cooperative relation with respect to said row, each of said supports being adapted to support a beverage-containing bottle in lay-down position with the cap-closed neck tfacing toward and inwardly of the adjacent hole in the front wall of the cabinet, a swingable gate for each support and normally disposed to block removal of the bottles through the holes from the supports, and dispensing mechanism operatively connected to said gates, said mechanism including a column of separable movable elements arranged in vertical superimposed relation, a first means carried by each gate and having a roller thereon which engages between adjacent elements of said column, said first means being operable in response to actuation of one of said gates to permit dispensing of the bottle adjacent the actuated gate and to releasablylock the other gates located above and below the actuated gate against actuation, an elongated vertical member in coacting relation with respect to said column, and a second means on said first means and slida-blyamovable in a camming slot formed in said vertical member, said second means being operable upon actuation of the adjacent gate to look all of the gates except the actuated gate.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said first means embodies a stub shaft projecting from each gate and carrying a roller intermediate its ends riding in a camming slot formed between adjacent elements of said column, and a shaft carried by each gate and projecting therefrom, the projecting portion of the shaft being slidable in a vertical slot formed in an adjacent element of said column, and wherein said second means embodies a free end portion of each stub shaft slidably movable in an adjacent camming slot formed in said vertical member.

3. The structure according to claim 2 which includes in addition an upstanding channel member disposed so as to embracingly receive said column and vertical member, said channel member being provided with arcuate slots spaced therealong, each of said stub shafts extending through and being slida bly movable in an adjacent arcuate slot.

4. The structure according to claim 3 which includes in addition spring means operatively connected to each gate and an adjacent arcuate slot for returning the gate to its normal position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,766,906 10/ 1956' Bookout et a1 221- 2,875,922 3/1959 Hsu et al 221-125 2,898,001 8/1959 Johnson 221-125 3,043,475 7/ 1962 Childers et al 221-125 3,151,774 10/1964 Payne 221-125 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. WALTER SOBIN, Examiner. 

1. IN A VENDING MACHINE, AN ARTICLE STORAGE CABINET HAVING A FRONT PROVIDED WITH A VERTICAL ROW OF ARTICLE-DISPENSING HOLES, A VERTICAL SERIES OF SUPPORTS DISPOSED BEHIND SAID FRONT WALL IN COOPERATIVE RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID ROW, EACH OF SAID SUPPORTS BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT TA BEVERAGE-CONTAINING BOTTLE IN LAY-DOWN POSITION WITH THE CAP-CLOSED NECK FACING TOWARD AND INWARDLY OF THE ADJACENT HOLE IN THE FRONT WALL OF THE CABINET, A SWINGABLE GATE FOR EACH SUPPORT AND NORMALLY DISPOSED TO BLOCK REMOVAL OF THE BOTTLES THROUGH THE HOLES FROM THE SUPPORTS, AND DISPENSING MECHANISM OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID GATES, SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING A COLUMN OF SEPARABLE MOVABLE ELEMENTS ARRANGED IN VERTICAL SUPERIMPOSED RELATION, A FIRST MEANS CARRIED BY EACH GATE AND HAVING A ROLLER THEREON WHICH ENGAGES BETWEEN ADJACENT ELEMENTS OF SAID COLUMN, SAID FIRST MEANS BEING OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO ACTUATION OF ONE OF SAID GATES TO PERMIT DISPENSING OF THE BOTTLE ADJACENT THE ACTUATED GATE AND TO RELEASABLYLOCK THE OTHER GATES LOCATED ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUATED 